Boxing glove

ABSTRACT

A boxing glove in which the movement of the thumb enclosing section away from the mitt section of the glove is resiliently restrained by an elastic band which connects the thumb enclosing secton directly to the outer side of the glove; the elastic band being leather covered. Another band connects the opposite side of the thumb enclosing section to the opposite side of the glove.

United States Patent Kennedy [15] 3,663,960 51 May 23, 1972 41 BOXINGGLOVE [72] Inventor: Bert Kennedy, PO. Box 58, Caroga Lake,

[22] Filed: Apr. 12, 1971 [21] Appl. N0.: 133,231

[52] U.S. Cl "2/18 [51] .....A41d 13/10 [58] Field ofSearch ..2/18, 158,159

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,056,326 10/1936 Orsini..2/18

671,296 4/1901 Rowand ..2/l58X 1,534,906 4/1925 Bridgewater ..2/l8

Primary Examiner-James R. Boler AttomeyVictor M. Helfand [57] ABSTRACT Aboxing glove in which the movement of the thumb enclosing section awayfrom the mitt section of the glove is resiliently restrained by anelastic band which connects the thumb enclosing secton directly to theouter side of the glove; the elastic band being leather covered. Anotherband connects the opposite side of the thumb enclosing section to the0pposite side of the glove.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing figures Patented May 23,1972 3,663,960

INVENTOR BERT KENNEDY ATTORNEY BOXING GLOVE The present inventionrelates to a boxing glove and has for its general object to provide aboxing glove that will be safer for use than the conventional boxinggloves now in use.

In standard boxing gloves, such as currently used in professional andamateur boxing contests, the thumb section of the glove presents asource of danger to both contestants. Because the thumb may be moved tostand away from the mitt section of the glove, there is a risk ofdislocation or more serious injury to the thumb of the wearers hand bysnagging or striking it against an opponent's body while in such spacedaway position. Also, the separated glove thumb permits a boxer to availhimself of an unfair and illegal opportunity of thumbgouging anopponent's eye or slapping an opponent with a flat open glove bycompletely moving the thumb away from in front of the glove.

It is a primary object of the present invention, therefore, to provide aboxing glove in which both of the foregoing dangers and shortcomings arereduced to a minimum, if not entirely eliminated, to thereby enhance thesafety of both contestants in a boxing match.

Generally stated, the invention consists in providing boxing gloves withmeans for inhibiting movement of the thumb away and its spacing from themitt part of the glove, without, nevertheless, depriving the thumb ofadequate room to permit its flexing in a mannerthat it will notinterfere with the flexing of the other fingers of the hand within theglove, as in fist formation, and permit the flexing of such otherfingers over the thumb.

It is an object of the present invention to provide gloves of thecharacter described which will also present a substantially smooth andcontinuous outer surface, so as to avoid the snagging or scraping of anypart of the glove surface against an opponents bodyor injure theopponent by reason of any projection or rough surface portions on theglove.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide boxinggloves of the character described which will not detract from theutility of the glove or interfere with the conventional manner of itsuse, nor materially alter the weight or cost of convenience thereof.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the boxing gloves ofthe present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilledin the art from the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanyingdrawing and from the description following. It is to be understood,however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, tomake the principles and practice of the invention more readilycomprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to thespecific details therein shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of a boxing gloveof the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a more or less diagrammatic, sectional view taken on line 2-2of FIG. 1; with padding and lining omitted for ease of illustration.

Referring now in greater detail to the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the drawings, the boxing glove, generally designated as10, comprises the palm section 12 and the back section 14, both ofsubstantially conventional construction, including longitudinal slit 14in the palm section of the glove and the lacing 16, for tieing the gloveon the hand. Back section 14, projects above palm section 12 andincludes conventional padding, which it is not thought necessary tospecifically illustrate. The palm section 12 of the glove may also have,adjacent its upper end, the transverse padded stiffening portion 20.Sections 12 and 14 may be secured to one another by a seam 22, extendingaround the periphery of palm section 12.

The glove also includes a padded thumb section generally designated as24, which may be of conventional construction including inner and outerplies 26 and 28 connected by a peripheral seam 30; the thumb section 24including conventional lining and padding, also not thought necessary tobe specifically illustrated.

Thumb section 24 is set into the palm section 12 of the glove inconventional position; namely, in an opening, 32, cut out in palmsection 12 at its junction with adjacent edge of back section 14, sothat thumb section 24 overlies palm section 12 with its inner ply 26facing the same.

In order to confine the end of the thumb 24 into close proximity to palmsection 12 of the glove, and to inhibit the movement of the thumb awayfrom the glove to a position where it projects outwardly and becomesunsafe both for the wearer of the glove as well as for the opponent and,at the same time, allow limited movement of the thumb for theconvenience of the wearer, the inner edge of the thumb section 24 isconnected to the remote edge of the glove 10 by an elastic band,generallydesignated as 34, one end of which may be engaged in the innerportion of the thumb seam 30, preferably above the center of the thumb,and the other end of the band 34 engaged in the mitt seam 22, preferablyat a level above the point of engagement of its other end to the thumb24.

The outer edge of the thumb 24 is connected by a band, 36, to theadjacent edge of glove 10 by having its end edges engaged in the outerportions of thumb and mitt seams 30 and 22. Band 36 may be eitherelastic or non-elastic and may, if desired, be formed of two sectionssewed together by a seam 38 for ease of glove assembly; one portion ofband 36 being secured in seam 22 and the other in seam 30 and beingconnected to one another by seam 38 after the glove is assembled.

Elastic band 34 may be of any suitable type. Preferably, however, suchband may comprise an inner elastic fabric band, 40, surrounded by ashirred sleeve, 42, which may be formed of smooth, soft leather that mayor may not be stitched to the band 40 and will stretch with it.

While the boxing glove of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed as having its thumb 24 confined by connecting its inner andouter edges by separate bands which connect such edges, each to anadjacent edge of the palm of the glove, it may here be stated, and itwill be readily understood, that the same effect may be attained bymeans of a single elastic band which passes through the wall of thethumb, as through suitable openings formed herein, whose ends aresecured to the edges of the palm section 12 in opposed portions of seam22.

This completes the description of the boxing glove of the presentinvention. It will be readily apparent that such glove will be effectiveto confine the thumb elastically against the palm of the glove but willpermit limited lateral movement for the comfort and convenience of thewearer. It will also be apparent that the thumb confining means of theinvention require no material alteration in the glove structure and thatsuch confining means may be simply, easily and economically provided onthe glove.

It will be further apparent that numerous variations and modificationsmay be made in the boxing glove of the present invention by anyoneskilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the inventionhereinabove set forth, and without the exercise of any inventiveingenuity.

I claim:

1. In a boxing glove, including a palm section and a back section, meanssecuring said sections to one another to form seams along their edges, athumb section, an opening in said palm section adjacent a portion of anedge thereof, means securing one end of said thumb section to said palmsection around the periphery of said opening in position to overlie saidpalm section, said thumb section having its other end movable toward andaway from said palm section, means inhibiting the movement of said otherend of said thumb section away from said palm section including anelastic band extending transversely of said palm section, meansconnecting one end of said band to a portion of the side of said thumbsection nearest the center of said palm section and the other end ofsaid band to a portion of the seam connecting said palm section and saidback section remote from said thumb section.

2. The boxing glove of claim 1, wherein said elastic band is enclosedwithin a shirred sheath.

with said thumb section.

5. The boxing glove of claim 4 wherein said thumb section comprises afirst portion facing said palm section and a second, outwardly facingportion, said thumb section portions connected to one another by a seam,said bands each secured by one of its ends within said seam.

6. The boxing glove of claim 4, wherein said band sections areintegrally formed.

* l l i i

1. In a boxing glove, including a palm section and a back section, meanssecuring said sections to one another to form seams along their edges, athumb section, an opening in said palm section adjacent a portion of anedge thereof, means securing one end of said thumb section to said palmsection around the periphery of said opening in position to overlie saidpalm section, said thumb section having its other end movable toward andaway from said palm section, means inhibiting the movement of said otherend of said thumb section away from said palm section including anelastic band extending transversely of said palm section, meansconnecting one end of said band to a portion of the side of said thumbsection nearest the center of said palm section and the other end ofsaid band to a portion of the seam connecting said palm section and saidback section remote from said thumb section.
 2. The boxing glove ofclaim 1, wherein said elastic band is enclosed within a shirred sheath.3. The boxing glove of claim 1, wherein said elastic band is connectedto said thumb section at a point intermediate its center and its freeend.
 4. The boxing glove of claim 9, including a second band section,means securing one end of said second band section to opposite side ofsaid thumb section from the location where said elastic band section isattached to said thumb section, and the other end of said second bandsection being caught in an adjacent portion of the seam connecting saidpalm section with said thumb section.
 5. The boxing glove of claim 4wherein said thumb section comprises a first portion facing said palmsection and a second, outwardly facing portion, said thumb sectionportions connected to one another by a seam, said bands each secured byone of its ends within said seam.
 6. The boxing glove of claim 4,wherein said band sections are integrally formed.